Former rep Paul Kujawski has plenty of nothing

When Paul Kujawski was finally ousted after 16 often-colorful years in the state Legislature, he said it was time to move on with "another chapter" in his life.

"Sometimes, all good things come to the end, and this is one of those times," he said.

As we've often witnessed, however, politicians accustomed to the "good things" typically consider "another chapter" simply a second chance at the public teat. Such was the case with the former state rep from Webster, who parlayed his self-described extensive contacts into a fundraising job for a new library in his town.

But it's time to turn the page on Kujawski's sad chapter. After a year of assurances and promises, after his self-professed schmoozing of potential donors with lunches and dinners, Kujawski has raised zilch. As in, nada.

Put another way, a 10-year-old kid with a lemonade stand could have raised more than the 57-year-old adult with a salary. But what can you expect when you give a real job to a political hack?

As reported Sunday by my colleague Brian Lee, Kujawski was the lone applicant for the $34,000 fundraiser post, and was hired by the library's board of trustees in August 2012 to raise $11.1 million, money that would be used to raze and renovate the Lake Street library.

"He said he had influential friends and would be good for the job," trustee James Chauvin told me yesterday. As the months went on, "We were hearing what we wanted to hear, and we had no reason to question him."

Now that Kujawski has whiffed, the board has one big question.

"Ask him for me why he couldn't raise any money," Travis said yesterday.

Kujawski didn't return phone calls yesterday, but last week told my colleague that a host of factors were to blame for his failure — the economy, competition with other local projects, doubt about the need for a new library, and, I believe, a homework-eating dog.

He also told Lee that his work included numerous dinners and lunches, which comes as no big surprise to anyone who remembers his fondness for state-sponsored dining. As a legislator, he twice violated state campaign finance laws and was fined $17,000; he admitted that he falsely reported meals on Cape Cod as business meetings.

It's not known if Kujawski treated potential library donors to dinners in Yarmouth, as town offerings such as Point Breeze can get old fast. When asked by my colleague if he should have negotiated a performance-based contract, he replied that his pension didn't kick in until last year.

"I lose an election," he said, adding, "I'm 57 years old and I have nothing coming in."

Which is an understandable response from a lifelong pol who believes the world owes him a living. Speaking of pensions, you may recall that he also came under fire in 2009 for taking advantage of a state pension loophole that he himself had voted to close.

Kujawski told trustees he targeted about 15 large donors and received a verbal commitment for $6 million from Arthur Remillard Jr. of Sutton. But the pledge hasn't materialized. Calls placed to Remillard at his Florida home yesterday weren't returned.

Now, the trustees doubt any pledge will come through.

"I feel a little foolish that we believed everything he said," Chauvin said.

Close the book on Kujawski. When you put your faith in politicians unaccustomed to real work, tangible results, and honoring their promises, the writing is on the wall.